Vexed
by loosesailor
Summary: Jack Elizabeth fic. Spoilers for DMC. One shot set during DMC. “He’s vexed that’s all. And what vexes all men friends?”


"The captain's actin' stranger all the time," Gibbs said in a whisper to Pintel and Ragetti below deck.

" You would too if ya had Davvy Jones on yer heels. He's stressed that's all," Pintel said.

"No, no! I think it's got something to do with there bein' a-," Ragetti lowered his voice, "woman on board."

Gibbs chuckled, "Women don't affect Jack Sparrow lads. Specially not Governors' daughters."

"He's vexed that's all. And what vexes all men friends?" Ragetti sat back and waited for their answer.

Above them, the three crewmen heard a loud thump and then the sound of shattering glass. A moan of anguish followed the crash. Then came the voice of a woman shouting something about rum and lack of manners.

"That might be true love, but don't take it out on the rum," Jack's smooth voice filtered below deck . He sounded more than a little bit intoxicated. Gibbs and Ragetti shared a significant look.

Jack Sparrow was rarely seen in the common area of his precious Pearl, seeing as he was the captain and not at all common. But, since shoving off from Tortuga a number of days ago, the swaggering rogue had taken to drinking downstairs with the men when the hustle and bustle on the poop deck ceased. Tonight appeared to be no exception.

"Aye Gibbs! Where be the rum?" He slurred, running into a table and stumbling into an empty hammock.

Seeing as it was unusual for the captain to be this drunk this quickly, Gibbs fired him a question of his own.

"Yer' own stock run out Jack?"

Jack, who was now comfortably situated in the hammock, answered, "'Lizabeth won't let me near it. She's prowlin' 'round me quarters, murmurin' about rum and mar-"he hiccoughed rather violently, "riage proposals".

Ragetti got up and offered the captain the remainder of his own bottle.

"Why thank ye Ragetti. No crow's nest duty for you tomorrow," Jack said, and then finished it in astonishing time.

"But Captain, I never take the crow's nest on account of me eye…"

The captain snored in reply. Gibbs motioned to the other two to help him and they hoisted him up the stairs. Elizabeth passed them on her way down.

"Jack?", she said irritably and nudged his shoulder. The pirate grunted in response and twisted slightly in the men's' grip.

"'Fraid he's out cold Miss", Gibbs said, "We're takin' him to bed".

A look of something akin to guilt crossed her fair features as she nodded her assent. Gibbs took notice of her pale hands which were wrapped tightly around a familiar object: Jack's broken compass.

Later, with the captain safely in bed and his men in dreamland, Gibbs set his mind on questioning Jack about the state of things between him and Miss Elizabeth. The rum stock would start to suffer after a few more destructive rows like theirs.

The next morning arose bright and early. Not a cloud marred the sky. Gibbs woke with the sun as usual and went on deck to greet the dawn.

Jack was already astern and making his way slowly to the bridge. He held one of his ringed hands next to his face to keep out the sun. Gibbs smiled to himself and remembered his resolution from the previous night. However, Jack spotted him before he could get a word in.

"Good morning Gibbs. Should be easy sailin' today."

Gibbs recognized the roughness in his voice from the previous nights' escapades. "How are ya feelin' sir"?

"I feel as fine as a pirate with a bounty on his head possibly can. That herb tea you left on me bedside did the trick."

"But sir, I didn't leave ya any tea." Tea? Gibbs was sure none of the crew ever drank tea. They certainly didn't prepare it for someone else.

Jack's bearded mouth fell open and then closed quickly. Casting his dark eyes about in search of whatever specter had saw fit to remedy his Kraken-sized hangover, a slow grin appeared on his face. Gibbs was taken aback but soon saw what had caused the aforementioned grin.

Elizabeth was leaning on the rail opposite the two men. Her honey colored hair was loose about her shoulders as she took in the sea in front of her. She didn't realize she was being watched. Abruptly, her hand went to her pocket and fished out a small object. The compass.

Gibbs chanced a look at Jack and saw his raven brows rise in acknowledgement. The captain's gaze was riveted on Elizabeth whose eyes were on the compass. The young woman straightened her back and stood with it in both hands. Suddenly, she turned around.

Her and Jack's eyes met and for a blistering moment, Gibbs felt very uncomfortable standing between them. The fire in Elizabeth eyes coupled with the contradictory tremble of her bottom lip incited in him a cowardly urge to escape whatever fireworks were about to occur.

Jack turned to him, snapping out of his reverie. "Do excuse me for a moment Gibbs. Wake the rest of the crew, won't you?"

Gibbs nodded and glanced toward Elizabeth who was once again against the rail, now slumped rather than leaning. As Gibbs moved to go below deck, he saw Jack saunter across the deck toward her.

Recalling her expression upon seeing Jack behind her, Gibbs found an answer to his question. A Cheshire cat like grin spread across his bearded face as he came upon Pintel and Ragetti awakening below deck. Ushering them closer, he spoke with more than a little bit of amusement in his gruff voice.

"She's vexed as well."


End file.
